This invention relates to a process and apparatus for performing catalytic reactions with intense heats of reaction, in which a reaction mixture is conducted through a catalyst bed from which the reaction heat is either removed or to which it is fed by indirect heat exchange.
Such a process is known from DE-OS No. 32 170 66. In this known process, a homogeneous catalyst bed, passed through only by coiled cooling pipes, is provided within a reactor jacket. Therefore, a reaction mixture entering into the reactor enters directly into the catalyst bed and after leaving the catalyst bed is immediately removed from the reactor. Although in particular cases performance of such a reaction is acceptable, there are many cases of application, in which a more flexible technique is desirable. This can be the case, for example, if the reactants are mixed with one another only upon entering into the reactor and temperature peaks are produced in the entry area of the catalyst bed without sufficient mixing or if individual reactants must be introduced into the reactor at different places.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a design for process as well as a device of the abovementioned type so that a flexible operation with a reliable mastery of the heat engineering problems is assured for a plurality of reactions.
The objects of this invention are attained by providing at least one bed of catalytically inert material adjoining the catalyst bed with both beds in indirect heat exchange with the heat exchange medium.